Currently, the number of data networks and the volume of traffic these networks carry are increasing at an ever increasing rate. The network devices making up these networks generally consist of specialized hardware designed to move data at very high speeds. Typical asynchronous packet based networks, such as Ethernet or MPLS based networks, are mainly comprised of end stations, hubs, switches, routers, bridges and gateways. A network management system (NMS) is typically employed to provision, administer and maintain the network.